MacGregor's Message 9/13/19 

Dear Families,


I am excited to share that Howell Public Schools will be adding a new service to enhance our communications with our families. Working with our parent notification system vendor, we will be adding SMS text messaging to our communications system. This will not replace our emails and automated calls but will enhance them and allow for faster notification of items such as snow days. To receive these messages we must have your cell phone number on file. If you do not currently receive our automated calls on your cell phone, please contact your child’s school to add your cell phone number to your account. You will need to opt-in to receive SMS text messages from us. To opt-in, please text “Y” to 67587. You will receive a reply that states, “You’re registered 4 SchoolMessenger notifications.” We will not begin using this service until Thursday, October 31, 2019, so you will not receive any further text messages until after that date. While Howell Public Schools and SchoolMessenger do not charge for this service, you may incur charges from your wireless carrier. If you have any questions about this service or have any issues opting-in to the messages, please visit http://bit.ly/2mbt9go.


On Monday. The Board of Education approved two projects that will be funded by the 2019 Capital and Safety Bond. The first project is the replacement of the Howell High School Field House boiler. This boiler is over 40 years old and would not make it through another heating season. The second project is the replacement of the fuel storage tanks at the Transportation Garage. This project will include removing the current underground fuel storage tanks and replacing them with new above-ground tanks. While neither of these projects is very exciting, they are both very important. I would like to once again thank our community for supporting the bond proposal last May.  


Recently, the district and the Howell Education Association agreed to a two-year contract that covers the 2019-2020 and the 2020-2021 school years. Part of this contract is the school calendar for this year and next year. To help families plan, we wanted to share the details of the 2020-2021 school year calendar as early as possible. We will once again begin the school year before Labor Day. The decision to move the start of school to before Labor Day is rooted in a law that took effect for the 2016-2017 school year that increased the number of required instructional days from 175 to 180. When starting the school year after Labor Day, this additional week of school pushed the end of the school year into mid-June, prompting many districts to explore beginning before Labor Day. In fact, out of the 56 intermediate school districts in the state, 43 have waivers to begin before Labor Day. Our first day of school for the 2020-2021 school year will be Wednesday, August 19. While this is a few days earlier then we have started the past two years, we feel that the benefits are worth making the change. The earlier start date will allow us to complete the first semester of the school year at the December Holiday Break and end the school year on May 27, 2021. This schedule aligns better with the schedules of many of our higher education partners for our students who are taking advantage of dual enrollment opportunities and the Livingston County Early College program. It also aligns better with our various required assessments. Elementary and middle school students will end the school year shortly after M-STEP testing, high school students will conclude the school year shortly after AP testing and before the June SAT administration date. Next year, high school and middle school orientations will be held during the week of August 10, which is the same week that it has been held the past two years. Our elementary school open houses will be held on Monday, August 17, 2020, for grades first through fifth and on Tuesday, August 18, 2020, for Begindergarten and Kindergarten. The full 2020-2021 school year calendar can be found online at http://bit.ly/2mgbSmo. 


Recently, Jason Schrock, Howell High School principal, was honored by the National Society of High School Scholars, Buster the Bus has been visiting our elementary schools to teach bus safety, and next month, I will host my first Coffee Chat of the school year. I have shared more on each of these below.


Jason Schrock Named Educator of Distinction

Recently, Jason Schrock, Howell High School principal was honored as a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction by The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS). Each year student members of NSHSS are invited to nominate the educator who has made the most significant contribution to their academic career for the Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction award. Additionally, Mr. Schrock was a finalist for the Claes Nobel Educator of the Year Award. You can read more about this honor at http://bit.ly/2keFtvT


Buster the Bus Visits Elementary Schools

Each fall, Buster the Safety Bus and some of our fantastic bus drivers visit all of our elementary schools to teach our students about bus safety. Buster, a remote-controlled bus, helps teach students how to safely cross the street near buses, the importance of staying out of the “danger zone” and provides tips on bus stop safety. During the visit, students also have the opportunity to climb on board a bus to practice an emergency exit drill. 


First Coffee Chat Of the Year

I will be hosting my first Coffee Chat of the new school year on Thursday, October 24 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Highlander Restaurant. If you have never attended a Coffee Chat, I would encourage you to consider attending. This is an excellent opportunity to hear updates on the district and ask any questions you may have. 

Posted by gouldt On Fri, Sep 13, 2019 at 2:49 PM  

 
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